A. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to methods and compositions for reducing blood alcohol content (BAC) in a subject after the subject has consumed alcohol.
B. Description of Related Art
Alcohol consumption is common, with the average adult consuming 5 liters of pure alcohol each year. Acute alcohol intoxication can result in low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, memory loss, behavioral changes, dizziness, loss of motor skills, confusion, coma, and death. Long-term alcohol overconsumption can cause cardiovascular disease, malabsorption, chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic liver disease, cancer, nervous system damage, alcoholic lung disease, kidney stones, sexual dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, skin disorders, brain damage, and birth defects.
Alcohol is absorbed throughout the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reflects the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. Alcohol that has been consumed is eliminated in a process that involves alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, where the ADH converts alcohol to acetaldehyde, and the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase converts acetaldehyde to acetate. This alcohol elimination process is slow; it can take up to an hour for the body to eliminate the alcohol contained in each standard drink (i.e., 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits) that is consumed.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are thought to be beneficial to a host organism. Lactic acid bacteria (such as members of the genus Lactobacillus) and bifidobacteria (such as members of the genus Bifidobacterium) are commonly used as probiotics and may aid in improving gastrointestinal health, preventing cancer, lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and decreasing inflammation.
Some studies have focused on using probiotics to alleviate hangover symptoms, prevent long-term liver damage caused by chronic alcohol consumption, or minimize the increase in BAC that follows alcohol consumption. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,356; U.S. Patent Pub. 2006/0263385. One unsolved aspect, however, is how to rapidly and effectively reduce blood alcohol content in a subject that currently has an elevated blood alcohol content.